Needle-feeler



H. NICHOLS.

NEEDLE FEELEB. APPLLCATION FILED MAY 7, T920."

Pate te May 31, 1921 1v e nTo r. Herberr Nichols by WWkW 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 III] IIJHI'HI lI I'H ATTys.

HERBERT NICHOLS, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DBAPER GORIPORA PATENT OFFICE.

TION', OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

NEEDIiE-FEELER.

resents.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 31, 1921.

Application filed May 7, 1920. Serial No. 379,508.

description, in connection with the accom panying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like arts.

p This invention relates to filling replenishing looms employing a feeler mechanism for detecting and indicating substantial exhaustion of the filling in the running shuttle which feeler mechanism is of the type comprising an impinging member and a detecting member in the form of a penetrating member the penetrating member being adapted to penetrate the filling mass and the impinging member being adapted to impinge against the filling mass on each detecting beat up of the lay; thus the penetrating member has no relative movement or movement with respect to the impinging member so long as there is a working supply of filling on the running filling carrier. But when the filling has run off so that the filling carrier is substantially exhausted the penetrating member comes into contact with the hard surface of the bobbin and is thus moved relatively-to or with respect to the impinging member. This movement is utilized to initiate filling replenishment.

Tn feeler mechanism of this type the penetrating member and the parts immediately controlled by it are necessarily of a light and easily 'movable character because the penetrating member must not be moved with.

respect to the impinging member when both come into contact with the filling on an unexhausted filling carrier, but the penetrating member must sink into this filling. It is possible therefore for the movement of the penetrating member with respect to thempinging member to occur at undesired times through the shock and jar of the loom operation and thus effect the initiation of filling replenishment at undesired times. So also it is possible for the same result to be effected if the penetrating member comes into contact with any hard surface such as the wall of a mispositioned or improperly boxed shuttle. I g

It is the object of the present invention to prevent this actuating or initiating action of the feeler mechanism at undesired times by locking the penetrating member against movement with respect to the impinging member until it has reached a predetermlned position of proximity to the path of travel of the running filling carrier or a predetermined position with respect to the lay and by then unlocking the penetrating member. Thus during the greater portion of the cycle of movements of the loom the penetrating member is locked against movement with respect to the impinging member and it is only free to have this movement dur ing certain predeterminedlimited periods as when upon the beat up the path of the running filling carrier is in close proximity to the penetrating and impinging members.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for adjusting the point in which the penetrating member shall be unlocked and consequently the length of the periods during which it shall be capable of having imparted to it movement with respect to the impinging member.

The present invention therefore substantially prevents a feeler mechanism of this type being actuated to initiate filling replenishment excepting when the condition of the running filling requires such initiation.

The nature and objects of the invention] will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of a portion of an automatic filling replenishing loom of the Well known Northrop type; only so much thereof as is necessary for a disclosure of the present invention being illustrated.

Fig. 2 is a View in vertical transverse section of the feeler stand and parts mounted thereon with the lay shown in dotted lines and carrying a bunter.

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal cross sec tion taken on the line 4- of Fig. 2.

The Northrop type of automatic filling replenishing loom in which the preferred form of the present invention is shown as embodied'is so well known to those skilled in the art as to need no extended description. The breast beam 1 supports at the right hand end the hopper stand 2 carrying the transferrer 3 from the hopper to the shuttle when located in the shuttle box 4,"

then brought by the lay 5 beneath the hopper. Feeler mechanism is provided at the left hand side of the loom. This feeler mechanism is so constructed and arranged as upon the indication of substantial filling exhaustion in the running'shuttle to cause the controller 6 to be swung forwardly about its pivot 7. ,This controller when thus moved rocks the transmitter 8 on its fulcrum 9 and moves the latch 10 into the path of the weft hammer 11. Thereupon the weft hammer moves the latch 10 forwardly and as this latch is connected to the rock shaft 12 and the rock shaft 12 is in turn connected to the transferrer 3 the transferrer is actuated to effect filling replenishment.

The general type of feeler mechanism illustrated is also familiar to those skilled in the art. A feeler stand 13 is provided with a depending flange 1 1 by means of which the feeler stand is bolted or otherwise secured to the rear face of the breast beam at a point opposite the base of the running filling carrier when the shuttle is boxed at this end of the loom. This feeler stand is provided with a box-like hollow base divided horizontally. The upper portion 15 is secured to the lower portion 13 of the hopper stand by screws 16 passing through opposite flanges.

A feeler slide is mounted for forward and rearward movement on the hopper stand and is conveniently shown as comprising a cylindrical stem 17 projecting forwardly from a cross bar 18 and two arms 19 projecting rearwardly from this cross bar. The cross bar 18 and stem 17 are located in the hollow box-like structure of the stand and the stem is surrounded by a helical spring 20 which normally tends to hold the feeler slide yieldingly projected rearwardly.

At its rearward end the feeler slide ter minates in the impinging member 21 having a flat impinging surface 22. The penctrating member 23 is mounted in the impinging member and provided with a sharp or wedge shaped effective end 25. The penetrating member is mounted to slide forwardly and rearwardly in the impinging member and thus to have a movement with respect to the impinging member. It is this movement which is availed of to effect the initiation of filling replenishment. In the construction illustrated the penetrating member is bent upwardly and forwardly at 26 tocontact with the head of an adjustable screw 27 carried by the finger 28 pivoted at 29 between the side bars 19 of the impinging member. This finger is held in its raised or inactive position and in contact with the forward end of the penetrating member by any suitable means such as the vertical pin 30 pressed upwardly by the helical spring 31.

The end of the controller 6 moves in a guide slot 32 formed in an upwardly proecting flange 33 of the feeler stand and when the finger 28 is in its raised or inactive position it is above the level of the controller 6 so that the notched forward end 3 of the finger cannot catch and move the controller as the feeler slide moves forwardly under the impact of the lay and against the tension of the spring 20.

The operation of this type of feeler mechanism is apparent from the foregoing description. So long as there is a sufficient supply of filling on the running filling carrier when On the beat up the filling carrier comes 1nto contact with the feeler, the penetrating member sinks into the mass of filling and the impinging member contacts with the mass of filling. As the beat up continues the feeler slide moves forwardly but there is no movement of the penetrating member with respect to the impinging memher, and the notched end 34; of the finger 28 passes over the controller 6. lf, however, the filling has become substantially exhausted the surface of the bobbin or cop will contact with the penetrating member pushing it forwardly in and with'respect to the impinging member and rocking the finger 28 bringing its notched end 3 1 into line with the end of the controller 6. Now as the beat up continuesthe feeler slide moves forwardly with the parts remaining in this position and the notched end at of the finger catching the controller 6 carries it forwardly, thus initiating filling replenishment. In the present invention means'are provided for preventing movement of the penetrating member with respect to the impinging member until on the beat up the penetrating member has reached a predetermined position of pro mity to the path of travel of the filling carrier or has reached predetermined position with respect to the lay.

In the construction illustrated the feeler stand 13 is slotted longitudinally in the base and in this slot is mounted a sliding lock shown as a plate 35. This plate at its forward end is split, one part being bent upwardly at 36 to provide a stop limiting its rearward movement and the other part 37 providlng' a lug from which a helical spring 38 extends to the flange 14 and which serves yieldingly to hold the locking slide in rearward position. This locking slide is slotted at 39 and this slot is so positioned that when the locking slide is in its normal or rearmost position the body of the slide will be beneath the pin 30, thus locking the pin against downward movement and consequently locking the finger 28 against movement and consequently locking the penetrating member against movement with respect to the impinging member. When, however, this locking slide is pushed forwardly the slotted portion 39 comes beneath the pin 30 and the pin, finger, and penetrating member are free to move.

The locking slide is operated by suitable device such as a bunter 40 mounted on the lay. The bunter is shown as provided with a down turned end and the locking slide with a similar down turned end d1, these two ends coming into contact upon the beat up. The bunter 40 is slotted at 42 and held in position on the lay by a set screw 43 so that it may be adjusted transversely of the lay. By means of this adjustment and by means also of the location of the slot 89 in the locking slide 35 the exact position at which the penetrating member shall be unlocked with respect to the impinging member may be predetermined. 1

These parts may be readily set and ad justed so that there can be no actuating movement or movement of the penetrating member with respect to the impinging memher until the lay has beat up to such a position that the feeler end is closely adjacent to the exterior of the mass of filling in the running shuttle. Thus the feeler mechanism remains locked during a large portion of the cycle of operation of the loom and is not subject to aremature operation during this period. uch premature operation might otherwise occur from various causes such as from the shock and jar of the loom or from the penetrating member coming into contact with the wall of a mispositioned or improperly boxed shuttle.

The invention thus provides a simple and effective means for increasing the efiiciency of this type of feeler mechanism and for substantially preventing its premature or undesired operation.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A feeler mechanism for looms comprisin an impinging member adapted to engage and be moved forwardly by the running filler carrier upon a detecting beat, a detecting member movable with and with respect to the impinging member, means actuated by movement of the detecting member with respect to the impinging member followed by forward movement of the detecting member with the impinging member for initiating filling replenishment, a locking device adjacent the said members acting to lock the detecting member against movement with respect to the impinging member, and means carried by the lay for releasing the locking device when on the beat up the detecting member has reached a predetermined position of proximity to the path of travel of the running filling carrier.

2. A 'feeler mechanism for looms having the construction defined in claim 1 in which the means carried by the lay is in the form of a hunter adj ustably mounted on the lay.

3. A feeler mechanism for looms comprising a feeler slide adapted to be mounted on the breast beam of the loom, movable forwardly and rearwardly and yieldingly held in rearward position, an impinging member carried by the feeler slide adapted to engage the filling on the running filling carrier and to be moved forwardly thereby and thus move the feeler slide forwardly upon a detecting beat, a penetrating member having a penetrating portion normally projecting rearwardly beyond the impi'nging surface 'of the impinging member and movable with and with respect to the impinging member, means actuated by movement of the penetrating member with re spect to the impinging member followed by forward movement of the penetrating member with the impinging member and feeler slide for initiating filling replenishment, a locking device adjacent the feeler slide acting to lock the penetrating member against movement with respect to the impinging member, and means carried by the lay for releasing the locking device when on the beat up the penetrating member has reached a predetermined position of proximity to the path of travel of the running filling carrier.

4:. A feeler mechanism for looms comprising a feeler slide adapted to be mounted on the breast beam of the loom, movable forwardly and rearwardly and yieldingly held in rearward position, an impinging member carried by the feeler slide adapted to engage the filling on the running filling carrier and to be moved forwardly thereby and thus move the feeler slide forwardly upon a detecting beat, a penetrating member having a penetrating portion normally projecting rearwardly beyond the impinging surface of the impinging member and movable with and with respect tothe impinging member, means actuated by movement of the penetrating member with respect to the impinging member followed by forward movement of the penetrating member with the impinging member and feeler slide for initiating filling replenishment, a sliding locking device mounted adjacent the feeler slide for locking the penetrating member against movement with respect to the impinging member, a hunter on the lay acting on the beat up to engage and release the locking device when the penetrating member has reached a predetermined position with respect to the lay.

5. A feeler mechanism for looms comingly held rearwardly, an impinging member adapted to engage the filling on the running filling carrier upon a detecting beat and thereby move the feeler slide forwardly, a penetrating member having a penetrating portion normally projecting rearWardly beyond the impinging surface of the impingingmember and movable with and with respect to the impinging member a movable finger carried by the impinging member and moved by the movement of the penetrating member with respect to the impinging member, a spring pressed pin for holding said finger in inactive position, a sliding lock mounted in the feeler stand and acting to look the saie'pin and thereby to lock the in inactive position, and a hunter carried by the lay and acting; on the beat up when the penetrating member has reached a predetermined position With respect to the lay to and move the locking slide and allov. the to be moved to active position by the penetrating member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HERBERT NICHOLS. 

